"Sunday's vote centered on different visions of Germany's role in the world and how to fix its sputtering economy. Schroeder touted the country's role as a European leader and counterbalance to America, while Merkel pledged to reform the economy and strengthen relations with Washington.
ZDF public television projections based on exit polls and early counting gave Merkel's Christian Democrats 35.2 percent and the Social Democrats 34.1 percent."

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/inte...ection.html?hp

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"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

In the long run it doesn't matter who wins, Germany has become stagnant and to comfortable in it's ways even if Merkel wins, which looks likely, there probably won't be much of a shake up or reform, if any.

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It's the difference between suicide and slow capitulation... - Jim Morrison

...have won 2 or 3 seats more than the Social Democrats, but Schroeder remains the more likely to form a governing coalition...we shall see...

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"A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened."

Since one is pro-American and the other is anti-American. Gee, and some say our system is messed up. They may have to hold new elections unless they are able to forge some haphazard coalition in parliament.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/eur...in_a_standoff/

People should keep Germany in mind when it comes to numerous social programs...failed government.

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All you need to know about the energy crisis:
ANWR Exploration Republicans: 91% Supported. Democrats: 86% Opposed.
Coal-to-liquid R's: 90% YES. D's: 78% NO.
Oil Shale Exploration R's: 90% YES. D's: 86% NO.
Outer Continental Shelf Exploration R's: 81% YES. D's: 83% NO.
Increased Refinery Capacity R's: 97% YES. D's: 96% NO

SUMMARY: 91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of America’s own oil and gas. 86% of House Democrats have historically voted against.

Germany is an ally of the United States. To suggest otherwise is just plainly incorrect. One party in Germany may be more completely in support of current US foreign policies at present than others, but even they dont offer uncritical support.

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"A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened."

I'm moving this thread to the "Elections" section and merging it with an existing topic about Germany's vote. Please continue discussion here.

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"This is a time for a national imperative not to fail in Iraq." Condoleeza Rice, January 11, 2007

I just don't see any election looking good when either choice disappoints half the population. At least in Germany they have coallitions in Parliament to barter and compromise. So they are slightly more representative than the US is becoming as it is polarized.

By Noelle Knox, USA TODAY

BERLIN — "Chancellor War!" screamed the headline in Bild, Germany's largest tabloid newspaper, on Monday. "Who will govern Germany now?"

The answer is still days, if not weeks, away. Incumbent Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and his opponent, Angela Merkel, both claimed victory in Sunday's parliamentary elections. Their competing claims put Germany in a political deadlock and could stall efforts to revive the torpid economy.

"An unstable government and a perpetual election campaign with an uncertain outcome is the last thing our country needs," said Hermann Franzen, the head of HDE, a retail trade association.

Merkel's party, the Christian Democratic Union, won 35.2% of the vote in Sunday's elections, compared with 34.3% for Schroeder's Social Democratic Party.

Neither side had the necessary majority in the parliament to form a government. Merkel and Schroeder scrambled to form alliances with other political parties that would put them in control.

Party leaders said they would start negotiations this week. Traditionally, Merkel's Christian Democrats have linked with the Free Democrats. Schroeder's Social Democrats have allied with the Greens. Merkel and Schroeder are trying to woo each other's ally.

A majority coalition must be in place by Oct. 18. The parliament has three chances to choose a chancellor. If it fails, President Horst Koehler can appoint a minority government or call new elections.

Merkel, a former physicist from East Germany, had held a double-digit advantage over Schroeder for months. The main editorial in the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung called her "the woman who thought she had it all in her hands, but let it fall through her fingers."

Merkel's agenda of changes scared off many of the 5 million unemployed Germans or those worried about losing their jobs. The German economy grew 1.6% last year after two years of almost no growth.

If Merkel and Schroeder join in a "grand coalition," the resulting government would probably be too divided to push through changes to improve economic conditions. On Monday, each side said it would consider an alliance only if its candidate became chancellor.

Until the chancellor is named, little is expected to change in U.S.-German relations, which soured when Schroeder opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, said Jan-Friedrich Kallmorgen, founder of the Atlantic Initiative, a think tank in Berlin. If Merkel wins, "She would foster very close political and military ties with the U.S.," he said. However, Merkel said she would not send German soldiers to Iraq.

The indecision weighed on financial markets. Germany's DAX stock index fell 1.2% at the close of trading Monday, and the euro dipped against the U.S. dollar.

"Whatever the color of Germany's new government will ultimately be, the pace of structural reforms is likely to be slow," Bank of America economist Holger Schmieding said.

Contributing: Wire reports

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A lot of uncertainty here, but one thing is clear, Schroeder's leftist policy just hasn't worked out. People want a change.

I think the best terminology to use is "strong ally" and "diplomatic ally". Sure, Schroeder put up with the US, but he prefered the EU. He doesn't really want to ally himself with the US any more than they are right now.

Of course you are right in this. Indeed, had Schroeder gone further in support of US foreign policies he may have jeopardised eroding his own shaky, domestic political constituency. But the Christian Democrats would have more in common with US economic policies than the Social Democrats and their partners throughout the EU.

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"A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened."